The Bruins’ road trip concludes at the CBS Sports Classic in New York on Saturday, giving them a chance to cement their resurgence with a win over the Wildcats.
WHO: UCLA vs. Kentucky
DATE: Saturday December 17th
TIME: 2:15 p.m. PT
POSITION: Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
TV: CBS – Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Jenny Dell (sideline)
STREAM: fuboTV (start free trial)
RADIO: AM 1150, Sirius Ch. 83, SXM App 83 – Josh Lewin (Play-by-Play), Tracy Murray (Analyst)
DISTRIBUTION: UCLA -2.5 (-110), Kentucky +2.5 (-118)*
MONEY LINE: UCLA -128, Kentucky +106
ABOUT UNDER: O 141.5 (-110), U 141.5 (-118)*
UCLA was ranked #16 in the most recent AP poll and #14 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and is currently #6 in the NET rankings, #4 in KenPom, and #3 in BARTHAG. Kentucky ranked #13 in the AP and Coaches polls and is currently #19 in the NET, #6 in KenPom, and #16 in BARTHAG.
The Bruins were the big favorite to win the Pac-12 that season and placed first in the preseason media poll with the overwhelming majority of votes in first place. The Wildcats were also the media’s choice to win the SEC.
Scroll to Next
UCLA is led by coach Mick Cronin, who is in his fourth season with the program. Cronin has a 77-32 record and a 442-203 record as an overall head coach since arriving at Westwood, including his stints at Murray State and Cincinnati.
The Bruins are currently 9-2, including a 2-0 record in the Pac-12 game. A winless weekend in Las Vegas threw UCLA back in the polls after losses to Illinois and Baylor, but they eventually bounced back by beating both Stanford and Oregon early in the conference schedule. The Bruins continued, cementing their momentum on Wednesday with an 87-60 win at No. 20 Maryland.
UCLA averages 81.8 points per game and allows 63.0 points per game, ranking 30th and 51st in the country, respectively. The Bruins have the #3 Adjusted Offense and #17 Adjusted Defense in KenPom. Her 50.4% field goal percentage ranks 12th in the country and her 16.5 assists per game ranks 34th.
Guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. leads UCLA with 17.1 points per game and ranks second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game. Guard Jaylen Clark averages 15.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game, while point guard Tyger Campbell averages 12.8 points and 4.5 assists per game. Newcomers Amari Bailey, Dylan Andrews, and Adem Bona each appear as secondary options alongside veteran sniper David Singleton.
Kentucky is led by coach John Calipari, who is in his 14th season at Lexington. Calipari led both UMass and Memphis to Final Fours – even leading the Tigers to a win over the Bruins in the 2008 national semifinals – before winning it all with the Wildcats in 2012. Calipari is 372-103 with Kentucky and he sits at 817-243 for his career.
The Wildcats are currently 7-2 after playing just one game in the past two weeks – a 10-point home win over Yale. Kentucky lost its first two significant games of the year to Michigan State and then-No. 2 Gonzaga, who records wins against vastly inferior opponents before slipping past Michigan 73-69 in London, England.
Kentucky averages 80.6 points per game and allows 64.1 points per game, ranking 44th and 78th in the country, respectively. The Wildcats have the Adjusted #18 Offense and Adjusted #7 Defense in KenPom. Kentucky ranks in the top 20 in the nation for rebounds, assists, and blocks per game while also ranking 32nd as a team with 39.2% 3-point percentage.
Reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe returns for Kentucky and leads with 16.1 points, 13.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game and a player efficiency of 34.2. Sahvir Wheeler is one of the Wildcats’ other top returns with 9.0 points and 6.5 assists per game, while Antonio Reeves, Jacob Toppin and Carson Wallace are all averaging double digits.
UCLA is 7-8 against Kentucky all-time but won the last matchup in December 2017. The Bruins and Wildcats have split the two times they have faced each other in the CBS Sports Classic, with the former winning in 2017 and the latter in 2014 take home the win.
The two bluebloods have also played each other twice in March Madness. UCLA beat Kentucky to win the national championship in 1975, but Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox combined for 50 points to help the Wildcats retaliate against Lonzo Ball and the Bruins in the 2017 Sweet 16.
UCLA has won its last three regular-season matchups with Kentucky. The only time they ever fought in New York was the 2000 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, which the Bruins won 97-92 in double overtime.
*Odds via SI Sportsbook
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins youtube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men’s basketball stories: UCLA Men’s Basketball on Sports Illustrated
